Electric scooters have been problematic since first they appeared on city streets. While rental scooters initially caused the most confusion, the bigger concern now is privately owned light vehicles, many of which are capable of far exceeding the urban speed limit of 25 kilometers per hour.

"There are now so many types of light vehicles on the streets and it's no longer just an issue in Tallinn and Tartu. Other places are seeing a significant rise in danger and that's why we likely need to create new rules," said Minister of Climate Kuldar Leis (Reform).

One proposal discussed in the recent traffic commission meeting was to introduce a minimum age of 10 for all light vehicle riders — regardless of whether they're riding on the sidewalk, a bike path or a roadway. Officials are also considering making a bicycle safety exam mandatory for e-scooter riders between the ages of 10 and 14. Leis explained the reasoning behind targeting children with the new regulations.

"The number of accidents involving adults hasn't increased, even though the number of light vehicles has, but among children aged 7 to 14 — and even 15 to 17 — accidents are on the rise. This year alone, there have been 45 more accidents than last year," Leis said.

According to police, the biggest problem in the past year and a half has been electric motorcycles, some of which can reach speeds of 100 kilometers per hour and are not legal to use on public roads.

"Whether Talaria or others being freely sold in Estonia. Parents are buying them and teens are using them. In areas around Tallinn — Viimsi, Peetri, Rae, Saku, Saue — this is a serious issue," said Taavi Kirss, head of traffic supervision at the Police and Border Guard Board.

Although these bikes are often marketed as a convenient way to get to school, Kirss said both parents and sellers need to be made more aware that such vehicles should not end up in the hands of children.

"A third concern from the police perspective is the ability to confiscate these vehicles if they pose a threat to people or communities," Kirss added.

From the Estonian Traffic Insurance Fund's point of view, a major issue is that many light vehicles still lack the mandatory liability insurance that came into effect at the end of last year.

"There were fewer than 20 uninsured accidents this season, but the most costly one caused damages of more than €33,000," said Lauri Pottsepp, a member of the fund's management board.

The most common accident involves an electric scooter crashing into a car, often injuring the rider.

The new rules for light vehicles are expected to be finalized by next spring.

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